There is nothing like the first race of the year. It’s a test of fitness, trail skills, planning and organization. After a few months off the race circuit, it was time to get back into the pain cave. As we are still looking at snowy and muddy trails here in Grand Junction, CO, I packed up and headed off to St George, UT. After a quick 5 hour drive in rain, snow, and sun, we finally made it to the race course for a pre-ride. There is nothing like riding in short and a jersey.
After a comfortable night in the tent, the morning was spent trying to remember all the stuff needed to be taken care of before a race. What to eat, preparing the bike, getting gels and bottles ready, timing your warm-up and a million other little things one forgets about.
The race was super fun. 33 guys lined up on the line for the Pro class with some strong competition. I made my way through the pack on the first lap and got into a nice rhythm on the two climbs on the course. The downhills were smooth and fast for some good recovery. Somehow my legs felt decent after a hard week and I managed a 12th place finish. No mechanicals and no problems made for a fun and not too painful first race of the season. Can’t wait for the next one!
